Chapter 1073: The Excursion

In mid-March, the large-scale spring plowing had already concluded. Across the Central Plains, continuous stretches of forests and farmland were covered in green, brimming with vitality and vigor, as if proclaiming the Great Han's march into a new era.

Stillness breeds the desire for motion. Having stayed in the palace for so long, Liu Chengyou left the imperial palace, walked out of Kaifeng, and went on an inspection tour. However, this was only an excursion of a pleasure-trip nature, in the vicinity of Kaifeng, without any great fanfare—both to clear his mind and to inspect the agricultural affairs in the capital's suburbs.

Emphasizing agriculture was a national policy Emperor Liu had upheld for over a decade. Food is the heaven of the people—this was the most plain and simple truth. Even living in Kaifeng, a city with an ever-thickening atmosphere of commerce, he was not misled; the foundation of the empire always lay in the people and in farming.

Every year during spring plowing, as long as he was in the capital, Emperor Liu would personally go into the fields, swing a hoe, and turn over the soil. Even when he was absent, a chancellor would take the lead. This year was an exception—Emperor Liu did not go, but Crown Prince Liu Yang took the lead and worked in the fields.

In earlier years, a censor had submitted a memorial, proposing that, to demonstrate the importance placed on agriculture and sericulture, two halls—the Grain-Viewing Hall and the Silkworm-Tending Hall—be established within the Han palace. Emperor Liu agreed at the time. However, within a few years, Emperor Liu abolished them, stating bluntly that if one wished to view grain and tend silkworms, why stop within the palace? Emphasizing agriculture and sericulture did not require such formalistic things. He then showed his regard for agriculture through personal action and major national policy.

Of course, that was also Liu Chengyou's "persecution delusion" at work—feeling that someone was trying to confine him within the imperial city. In fact, even without abolishing the Grain-Viewing and Silkworm-Tending halls, the same things could still have been done.

The flat Cai River stretched like a bolt of white silk, winding southward with clear ripples rippling. The water was not lacking in boats coming and going from north to south, their destinations also leading straight to Kaifeng. Kaifeng was now the center of the realm and the terminus of the grain transport system. The southeastern grain transport used the Bian and Si rivers as its main arteries, while the south connected via the Cai River.

Riding at a light gallop southward along the Cai River's course, Liu Chengyou said to Wang Qiwu, who was following beside him: "Qiwu, I still remember that when we escorted the late emperor's coffin to Ruiling in Xuzhou, on the return north, we came back along this very route. At that time, I heard you tell me the history of this river, and that was what gave rise to my idea of reopening the Cai River!"

After returning to court, Wang Qiwu remained one of the ministers most trusted by the emperor, and after so many years of tempering, his bearing and demeanor had grown increasingly composed. Hearing this, Wang Qiwu smiled and replied: "A full fourteen years have passed, yet Your Majesty's wisdom is undiminished from those days! I still remember that the old course of the Cai River was dried up and abandoned, merged into the wilderness. Your imperial procession almost had to cut a new path. Yet now, it flows for a hundred li, restored as a key waterway for north-south grain transport!"

Speaking of Xuzhou and Ruiling, one must mention Imperial Uncle Liu Xin, who had been imprisoned at Ruiling, guarding Liu Zhiyuan's tomb for a full fourteen years. He finally could not hold on any longer and died on the nineteenth day of the second month of the first year of Kaibao.

When the Xuzhou authorities reported it, Emperor Liu's emotions seemed quite complex, with a faint trace of melancholy—even though Liu Xin's ending was one he himself had planned. Of course, given Liu Xin's crimes back then, executing him would not have been excessive either.

Time is truly a formidable thing. Over a decade had passed, and the once heinously guilty Imperial Uncle Liu had also drawn sympathy from many people. And when asked again about the Xuzhou commoners who had been victimized back then, apart from a small number who had been driven to ruin and family destruction, most had forgotten. After all, everything must look forward; one still has to live—resentment cannot be eaten as food...

Were it not for Emperor Liu's personality and psychology getting in the way, perhaps under the remonstrations of so many people inside and out, he really would have issued an edict pardoning and releasing Liu Xin. Now that the man was dead, all was settled, and Emperor Liu could worry about one less thing.

Toward the living, he might seem harsh and merciless, but toward the deceased Liu Xin, Emperor Liu finally showed some benevolence and leniency. He ordered the Xuzhou authorities to give him a lavish burial and had Chief of the Imperial Clan Liu Chengyun preside over the funeral.

"I must still thank Minister Wang for his merit in governing the river!" Of course, by this time Liu Chengyou had completely forgotten about Liu Xin's matter. Gazing at the Cai River with its green trees shading both banks and clear ripples rippling, he sighed in admiration.

The "Minister Wang" Liu Chengyou referred to was naturally not Wang Qiwu, but Wang Pu. The reopening of the Cai River was one project among the renovations of the Bian and Si canal systems that Wang Pu had overseen. At the time, it was merely to re-establish the water route south to Chen and Cai prefectures. Later, as usage of this waterway increased, it underwent another dredging, while the Zheng River west of Kaifeng was diverted as its source. From then on, grain transport south of Kaifeng flowed freely—southern taxes and goods entering the capital via the Cai River was the most time- and labor-saving route.

"The loss of Duke of Yan is indeed a great loss to the Great Han!" The relationship between the two Wangs was good, and Wang Qiwu had previously received guidance and help from Wang Pu. At this moment, he too sighed with emotion.

Waving his hand, Liu Chengyou asked Wang Qiwu: "Someone has suggested that I launch a great river-works project, conducting a comprehensive management and dredging of all the water systems in the Central Plains—both to prevent floods and to fully open up grain transport. What do you think?"

Hearing this, Wang Qiwu's brows furrowed slightly. After brief consideration, he reported: "I believe that river works and water affairs bear directly on the national economy and people's livelihood. The court also needs grain transport to supply the capital with goods from all directions. If a great improvement could be achieved, it would naturally benefit the state and the people. However, the realm has only recently been pacified, and the court has too many matters requiring adjustment. It should proceed step by step..."

With Wang Qiwu's words, Emperor Liu knew his meaning and immediately laughed: "Rest assured, Minister. I will not emulate Emperor Yang of Sui—I will not be greedy for grandiosity or haste!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"What place is that ahead?" Pointing south at a town beside the Cai River, Liu Chengyou asked.

"To answer Your Majesty, from the Eastern Capital south along the Cai River to Chen Prefecture, there are three market towns set up along the banks. This is the first, named Tongxu, established in the seventh year of Qianyou, with over two thousand households!" Hearing the question, Shi Xizai, riding on the other side, replied.

As a close attendant during the emperor's tour, Shi Xizai had done his homework thoroughly based on knowing the basic destination. Thus, the moment Emperor Liu asked, he immediately explained. Hearing this, Emperor Liu was indeed very satisfied and asked again: "In these years, how many towns like this have been added within Kaifeng's borders?"

Shi Xizai continued: "Within Kaifeng's borders, old and new market towns total fifteen, of which seven are newly added, all established along waterways!"

"These water networks and channels are just like blood vessels, and Kaifeng is the heart!" Hearing this, Liu Chengyou sighed: "How could I fail to place importance on these lifelines, to dredge and expand them?"

"Your Majesty's analogy is indeed most vivid!" Wang Qiwu said with a light laugh.

"We will not return to the capital tonight! We will stay at Tongxu Town!" Although it was still early, Emperor Liu had already decided not to return to the palace.

Having said this, he raised his horsewhip and gave a single crack. The fine steed neighed once and galloped southward along the dirt road. Seeing this, the attending servants and guards hurriedly followed.

As he galloped, forests, earthen mounds, and rivers flashed past. Of course, besides these sights, there was also vast amounts of land. On the plains near Kaifeng, fields and farmhouses were densely clustered, mostly already planted with early seedlings, a stretch of green. Farmers tended them here and there. Gazing out, one felt relaxed and joyful.

Before entering Tongxu Town, Emperor Liu suddenly asked: "That stretch of farmland we just passed—so neatly laid out—do you know whose land it is?"

Unlike Luoyang, the land around Kaifeng was also fairly fertile, but there were not many people who amassed large holdings. After all, this was beneath the Son of Heaven's feet—daring land annexation right under the emperor's nose was not something one did boldly.

Of course, it was only somewhat curbed; there were still some people with family fields of a hundred qing. However, Shi Xizai's answer made Liu Chengyou somewhat surprised—it was official land, the duty fields belonging to Chenliu County.

In the Great Han, land was also divided by category, broadly into official land and private land, and among official land there were duty fields. From top to bottom, virtually every government office was allocated a certain share of duty fields, cultivated by hired farmers or criminals. The output of these duty fields was used to supplement a portion of salaries and benefits for officials.

The Kaifeng administration governed fourteen counties, truly the number-one prefecture of the realm. Expanding its jurisdiction to this extent served both to bolster the capital's population and to increase the amount of official land.

Facing Shi Xizai's answer, Emperor Liu fell into thought. He recalled that among the various ministers' memorials, there was one proposing to continue expanding duty fields. As for that, he naturally leaned toward rejecting it.

The reason was also simple: expanding fields was easy, but the impact it would create was not necessarily beneficial. It was proper for the court to maintain a certain amount of official land—setting aside other points, its role in sharing the fiscal burden was obvious.

However, if there were too much, then the problem of tenant farmers would become severe. In the current Great Han, the population distribution was uneven, and because population pressure was not great, land conflicts in the north were not prominent.

The common people basically each had their own fields, and labor was limited. If official land was excessive, where would one find people to farm it?

The current Emperor Liu was single-mindedly devoted to governing the country well. Leaving the palace on this trip, ostensibly for an excursion to clear his mind, everything he saw and heard became connected to his grand strategy of governance...

And after all this time passing, the new policies Emperor Liu had long been brewing were about to be unveiled.